


Balance and Power

by Team_Alpha_Wolf_Squadron



Series: Harmony [2]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: M/M, Sequel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-09
Updated: 2021-01-09
Packaged: 2021-03-13 13:02:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,283
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28653945
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Team_Alpha_Wolf_Squadron/pseuds/Team_Alpha_Wolf_Squadron
Summary: A sequel to 100 years too lateAang and Zuko are off on their own once more. With spirits still to contend with, and now Azula, things are proving harder than Aang thought when he decided to leave the others behind.
Relationships: Aang/Zuko (Avatar), Iroh & Zuko (Avatar), The Gaang & Zuko (Avatar)
Series: Harmony [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2099934
Comments: 13
Kudos: 90





	Balance and Power

The last time Aang had stepped foot on Ember Island it had been in the midst of a celebration. The streets were lined with tourists all ambling for a look at the firework cart. Or waiting in lines that were probably far too long for the heat they were standing in for food that made it all worth it. The beach, he remembered his toes digging into the sand. The ocean’s cool touch around his ankles and his friends all running, laughing, around him.

Today, the only thing lighting up Ember Island was the pissed off Fire Nation princess who’d taken it upon herself to destroy both her brother and her house. A shame, maybe, except Aang didn’t have to look to know there were no happy memories in this house. Maybe burning it to the ground was the only thing that could be done for it now.

He ducked another stray burst of fire, hoisting the baby Zuko had made him look for as soon as they’d knocked closer to his chest. She was a cute little thing, no doubt about it, and definitely looked like the rest of Zuko’s brood. Same fire coloured eyes. Same scowl. But unlike her mother and uncle, she kept her voice to a reasonable level as she tried to suss out who this stranger holding her was.

“If you would let me speak-”

Aang ducked another flame, the poster behind him catching fire and singing a good portion of the royal family before Aang put it out. “Maybe we should wait outside,” Aang mumbled. The baby seemed to agree, since she certainly didn’t like the way the air suddenly felt charged.

In fact, he quickly wrapped the baby in his shirt, bending the floor out from Azula’s feet just as a bolt of lightning escaped her finger. 

“Fuck.” his heart was pounding in his ear as he watched it catch and burn, the smoke already smelling toxic on another stray piece of wall. She was actually trying to kill them. He… “Okay that’s enough.” He should have intervened, should have taken charge of this whole thing after Lu Ten mentioned instability. But no. He had to have faith in Zuko. Had to believe Azula wouldn’t immediately throw herself at her brother like she had and certainly not try to burn Zuko from the inside out like she had. “Avatar here, and since no one is acting civilly I guess I’m going to have to start the proceedings myself.” He handed the baby to Zuko, purposely placing himself in front of both of them as Azula, still floorbound, stared him down. “We’re not here to hurt you.” Since that, apparently, actually needed to be said. “My name is Aang, and maybe we should have went about this whole thing differently but we came here today to make sure you were okay.” Maybe kidnap her a bit as well. If everything went south with Iroh back in Ba Sing Se Aang wasn’t above using someone as a ransom. A fire nation princess was a fire nation princess at the end of the day.

Even if she was laughing in his face. 

“It’s true,” Zuko huffed behind him.

“SHUT UP!” The laughing stopped as soon as it started. Whatever had kept her on the floor before releasing her now as Azula clambered to her feet, her hands clawed in front of her as she yelled at Zuko to just, “SHUT UP! SHUT UP!” her breathing was ragged when she finished, fire tickling the edges of her fingers.

“Azula-” 

Aang threw up a wall of air, the fire skirting around it as Azula screamed at them once more. “Maybe don’t talk,” Aang suggested.

Zuko huffed, Aang’s arms being hit and his wall falling. Not that it mattered. Little firebending Zuko claimed to know but he knew enough to fend off what was flying his way. Maybe this was something Azula had done a lot to him as a child. Whatever the case Zuko wasn’t scared now with the prospect of fire burning his skin. Instead he stepped forward, his arms empty, and Aang had to turn to make sure the kid was alright. Set down a few feet away, a nice barricade of clutter stopping her from making much trouble, the check in was enough time for Zuko and Azula to be at it again.

They forwent fire this time. Sometime between glancing back and forward they’d evolved to fists and screaming, and here, at least, Zuko knew how to hold his own. That wasn’t to say Azula didn’t give as good as she got. She had her hands digging into Zuko’s scar more than once, Aang itching to jump in and drag her off. 

But Zuko had seen something Aang hadn't. Something he still didn’t until Azula was sitting there, her arms trapped to her sides and screams sounding more like sobs than threats. “Get off me! GET OFF ME!” she wasn’t angry, Aang realised. She was scared. Scared of this man who, Aang remembered, she’d probably thought of as dead. 

“It’s me Azula. It’s me I promise.”

She shook her head, body still trying to lean out of Zuko’s hold.

It was a long day after that.

At some point, probably between Azula’s husband coming home and Aang tying him up, Azula accepted there was something more than her imagination playing an awful trick on her. Hence Aang forcing down a bowl of uncooked noodles as he watched the staring match between Zuko and Azula come to a close. 

“Mother named her new baby after you,” Azula started, and what a topic to start with. Already Aang could see the furrow of Zuko’s brow start to drop. 

“I know,” he forced out eventually. “I met him.”

“She doesn’t miss you at all now,” Azula continued with, face not even changing as she delivered it. Aang didn’t know if this was just how she was or if she was trying to force something out of Zuko but he certainly didn’t like how this meeting was going.

So, “Maybe we should stay away from things like new siblings? 

He burrowed into his seat as twin glares came his way. 

Okay. Message received. Aang was keeping well out of this now.

Even if he did wish to intervene nearly every other sentence. Azula… she was exactly and not exactly how Aang expected her to be at once. She was the cold, ruthless girl from Zuko’s stories come to life. But she was also the girl who looked beyond terrified when her baby so much as moved. Aang’s respect for Zuko’s father was dropping by the second and, if he were honest with himself, his respect for Zuko’s mother was dropping too. 

Azula didn’t seem to care that her husband was tied up, nearly begging right now, to be set free. Why should she be? Aang and Zuko had watched the pair of them go about the island for days before coming to her door. He’d watched as she’d trailed behind her husband, always quiet, the baby held in a way like Azula didn’t even know what it was doing in her hands to begin with. A girl, stripped of her power, even her servants, sat here using what little leverage she had left against her brother to prove… something. Whether to herself or her brother Aang still didn’t know. 

“So what was the point of all this?” She asked.

It was morning. After retreating for the night, they’d returned to a house that was still a wreckage. A baby put in her crib, at least, even if the husband was still tied where Aang had left him.

They were on the beach. Zuko had worked out how to properly hold his niece after the first few minutes of walking. There were little to no people here. It wasn’t like they would recognise either of them anyway if there were. Aang hated disguises but, when they worked they worked, and so far no fire army had come to arrest him. Which made him wonder, again, just why that was.

“You know as well as I do that this isn’t right Azula,” and Zuko continued. For a whole hour they walked and Zuko talked about the horrors of the fire empire. 

“So what?” Azula asked at the end of it. Her face remained as unbothered as it had when Zuko began. 

“So?” Zuko repeated. “We need to do something.”

She raised a brow, “Because the Avatar has returned?”

“Well-” He floundered, before settling on, “Yeah. It’s a sign isn’t it?”

“Is it?” Azula countered. 

With two words Azula had managed to send her brother huffing a few feet ahead of them. If he hadn’t have been holding a baby Aang had no doubt he would have been doing something ragetastic right now. But he was holding a baby, which meant a few minutes of walking ahead of them before letting them catch up with his stride once more. “You know this isn’t right,” Zuko tried again.

“Do I though?” and then, offhandedly, “In my opinion I’m a princess in one of the richest colonies in existence. I can buy whatever I like. I’m adored by everyone and father doesn’t hate me. It looks to me like I’m living in a better world than one you’re describing dear brother.” She had a way of looking at people. A cold, dead eyed stare that would have been called arrogance if Azula wasn’t right about everything she was saying. 

Zuko, unlike before, didn’t storm off again. Instead he told her, “You’re living in a house you can’t even leave if your husband doesn’t let you, and your clothes, your hair,” he shook his head, “father doesn’t love you if he’s allowing this to happen to you.”

A high noise escaped her throat. “I’m married,” she said through gritted teeth. “Compromises have to be made.”

“My sister doesn’t compromise,” Zuko told her, and for the first time that day Aang saw her face fall. 

She left not long after. 

Alone. 

Meaning Aang spent the rest of his day looking for baby stuff. 

He’d finally managed to settle her down on Appa’s paw as Zuko lit a fire on one of the sand dunes. The scarce food they’d scrounged up was a little burnt, but still better than anything Azula had made for them. His mask back on, and Aang’s staff back in his hand he could admit that maybe, “This wasn’t a good idea.”

“No,” came from behind the mask after a moment. 

Aang considered for only a second before asking, “Do you think we should leave?” Who knew the damage they’d already done to Azula here. As soon as she let her husband go… 

“No.” Zuko sat up, drawing his knee closer to his chest. “I’m glad we came, even if it wasn’t a good idea. And we need to stay. For a little while.” Since Zuko knew there were other reasons they’d set out away from the others. 

Nothing else was said after that. Nothing else needed to be said Aang supposed. He’d never had siblings growing up. Just friends and tutors. He supposed he would have tried for them too, like Zuko was right now, even if things weren’t looking good for them long term.

So they slept, and were woken periodically through the night until both of them gave up and watched the sun rise with the baby on Aang’s lap. 

“What do you think she’s called?” Aang asked, realising that he didn’t know her name. 

The mask tilted a little more in the baby’s direction before settling back, the sun glinting off the white paint littering the ridges. “I don’t think she has one.”

Aang scoffed, “She’s like six months old. She has to have a name.” At least a nickname.

Yet Zuko shook his head. “If she has one, Azula doesn’t call her it.”

He felt the tiny fingers playing with his own, that pit in his stomach returning again, as it often did when he thought of Azula. “You really think she’s that cruel?”

“No,” Zuko denied immediately. “I just think she doesn’t know what’s going on right now. Hasn’t for a long time. A name for a baby she probably doesn’t even recognise?” He shook his head.

“We need to get her off this island,” Aang realised.

Zuko nodded. “Some way or another.” 

Zuko took the baby back himself that day, telling Aang outright that maybe this was something he needed to do himself. As guilty as Aang felt letting him go, he couldn’t help the pang of relief that hit him at being left behind. Azula didn’t want to talk to him. She didn’t want to even look at him if she could help it, and so far Aang’s presence there had resulted in him making sure the baby was fed on time. Being alone also helped him figure out just where they were going to go after this. If they were still going anywhere after this actually.

They hadn’t really come to Ember Island with a plan. Their week of flying had mostly been spent counting clouds or, in Aang’s case, landing them in busy towns and cities they could hide away for a while, maybe even catch a bite to eat. Nothing romantic. At least, nothing that had ended romantic for all Aang’s planning. Somehow he always ended up ruining it. Be it jumping at a shadow he could have sworn he could feel watching him as he left, or bringing up something that would definitely, and did, kill whatever mood they’d gotten themselves into. 

So Azula? He hadn’t really put much thought into just why they were here or what they were going to do with her. They couldn’t leave her, like Aang said, but, could they take her with them? 

He didn’t know. His head was hurting with not knowing, and then there was the baby…

When this was all over he was demanding at least a months vacation. A reprieve, at least, before delving into whatever new crisis came up after this whole mess.

Zuko came back to camp empty handed that evening, which was a start. A good or a bad start Aang didn’t know. But Zuko didn’t look as irate as he had last time they’d left Azula. “Did it go well?” Aang asked.

Zuko sighed, dropping boneless to his spot around the dune. “I don’t know.”

Aang propped himself up on his arm, “She didn’t burn you did she?” Aang wouldn’t put it past her. She had this look yesterday when they’d met up again, and for a moment he’d sworn he could see fire dancing along her fingertips. She looked like the kind of person to burn things just for the sake of it. The turtle-duck in Omashu came to mind. 

Yet Zuko shook his head no, and that was that for the rest of the evening. 

A week they spent on Ember Island in total. A week of Zuko leaving Aang on a morning and returning just after dusk, always with his mask back in place when they powder on his face had worn off to no news of nothing. It wasn’t like Aang didn’t ask either. He did. He was almost desperate to know what they’d talked about. But after the first few questions had been pushed to the side, Aang knew pressing Zuko would lead him nowhere, and maybe some things between Zuko and Azula needed to stay between them. That didn’t mean Aang didn’t worry. For a vacation island he spent half of his time there more tense than when he’d landed. Walking around the old streets he couldn’t see a slither of anything that looked recognisable to himself. No landmark. No remnant of young boys past who’d carved their names into a cliff face. It was like it had been destroyed. Stamped over again and again until only new, shiny things remained.

That wasn’t to say Ember Island wasn’t pretty. It was. It just didn’t feel like it had last Aang had been here, and maybe that was down to him. Maybe he just wasn’t remembering things right. Whatever the case he was almost as glad as Zuko looked to be saddling Appa that next Thursday.

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Aang asked again. Zuko had been the one last night to tell him they were leaving. To say he’d try one more time to talk to Azula before leaving it for good. He hadn’t been lying either, returning to camp with food for Appa and showing Aang outright their next stop so he wouldn’t ‘accidentally’ land them somewhere they weren’t supposed to be.

“I tried,” Zuko said, and that was that.

Aang tightened Appa’s saddle and ducked the giant paw stretching itself out after days of napping. “If you’re sure,” then there wasn’t much Aang could do. It wasn’t his sister. It wasn’t like they could kidnap her either. That, at least, they had agreed on. So he flung the last of Appa’s food up into its designated spot and started dismantling the firepit they’d made.

It was around sneaking an extra meal in that Aang realised something was up. Zuko had long since lounged himself over the top of Appa’s saddle, his mask firmly in place and for all Aang knew hiding a napping teenager underneath. Nothing else had happened either. No weird sound from the full beach. No snap of a branch. One second Aang was stuffing his face and the next he noticed there was someone watching him. Someone Zuko, now he glanced back, had probably been watching for a while now. 

Her hair was tied back, and gone were the dresses Aang had seen her in those first two days. Light armour replaced them, and for the first time the glint in her eye matched the rest of her. That same cold, calculating look sizing up the two in front of her like they were ants who she needed to get a little creative squashing beneath her boot. 

Aang wiped his clothes down, stuffing the sweets back in Zuko’s bag as she finally walked forward. “You look ridiculous in that mask Zuzu,” she greeted them, lobbing a pack to Zuko’s face before climbing the saddle. 

Aang felt his mouth go dry as he watched her settle. “You’re coming with us?” 

He hopped up, feeling Appa’s reins slip through his fingers, clutching them tight as she shrugged. “A chance to change the world you said. I think that’s something I can get behind.” A smile stretched her face, Aang waiting for Zuko to say something. 

But he didn’t. Eventually Aang had to realise that nothing would be said. She was here. This was what they wanted. Even if it felt just plain wrong.

He tied the last things down, doing his best to avoid Azula as she sat, almost statue like save her eyes watching him move. He went back to his seat, wondering if he should even ask before giving in. “Is your baby alright?” He had to know. It wouldn’t let him sleep if he didn’t.

“She’s with her father,” was the only reply he got, and that, for some reason, still didn’t settle right with Aang. 

But he pushed past it, yip yipping Appa into the air and away from Ember Island. 

If Zuko realised they weren’t at their first spot when they landed he didn’t say anything. He hadn’t said anything since Azula joined them actually, and nor had she spoke back. Aang hadn’t realised how comfortable silence could feel until he was stuck for hours on end afraid to even look behind him. Yet there he was, knowing now those first few days with the Blue Spirit almost two years ago now were almost paradise compared to this.

They landed in a copse of trees, Appa immediately trying to reach behind him for his dinner as the other two set up camp. For a princess, Azula, like a lot of firebenders he hung around with, wasn’t picky about roughing it. The only thing she put up a complaint about was Zuko’s mask, name calling him as soon as they were out of Aang’s sight. Yet when he did take it off, Azula grew quiet again. 

It took an age for her to fall asleep. In fact, it was only when Aang retreated to Appa’s paw that she lay down, and even when Zuko threw the last stick into the fire, joining Aang on Appa, he wasn’t convinced she was asleep.

“What are we going to do?” Aang asked, voice as quiet as he could make it. Even then he feared she could still hear him. Probably was waiting to hear him. “You really think she wants to change the world?”

There was a soft scoff, “Of course.” Zuko’s head leaned a bit closer to his, “For her. We talked about it a little. Azula doesn’t care about any of this. Father had her on the front lines when he razed the Earth Kingdom. She has as much blood on her hands as any Fire General. She just cares about herself.”

Horror spread through him at that, deciding for him that “We need to take her to Ba Sing Se.” Iroh could probably keep her there. Help her, if not keep her out of the way while Aang went off again. She needed something. No child would want to be on the front lines of anything if they were in their right mind. 

Would Zuko have been there, Aang wondered. If he’d been loyal to his father. Would he have been there that day? Burning the land and people who’d made their home there? Iroh had done it. Lu Ten had done it. Would Zuko, unburnt and favoured like his sister, would he have been there? 

“We need to keep her with us.”

“But-”

“Aang. Please.” and it showed how little Zuko actually begged him for stuff that Aang immediately caved in. 

He woke in the air, Zuko on the reins and Azula gazing absently out the side of the saddle. They were back on course, since Zuko loved having a purpose and hated any and all side trips Aang tried to take him on. Meaning they did get to their first checkpoint, if a bit earlier than Aang was expecting.

Trees. Again. A little brook too Zuko stared Aang down on until he went over and practiced a little waterbending. Nothing advanced. He had a feeling Azula was seeing what he was capable of, and any surprises he could keep from her were good. That night ended pretty much like the night before. All of them sitting quietly around the fire waiting for the other to drop off first. 

It was an awkward two weeks of travelling to put it lightly. Only made worse when Aang joined Zuko for his morning meditation and was scoffed at by a passing Azula. He didn’t know what that meant, but Zuko did, his face darkening. 

That afternoon was the first time things went sour. He could feel the air charged, as it had been for hours now, like the beginning of a storm. The air seemed hotter than usual too, Aang sweating in his robes despite the rain pelting down from above. 

It wasn’t even a word that set them off. One moment they were all sitting there, Aang debating whether it was worth it to take his first layer off, and then they weren’t. Fire was flying all around him, Aang blocking Appa as best he could as Azula charged again and again at her brother. 

Even then things weren’t all that bad. Zuko could hold his own. Maybe not well, but he’d grown up around this sort of stuff, meaning he could block most of what Azula sent his way. It was only when he fought back. When he used a move he’d sort of perfected in the North Pole, the pair of them studying by candlelight at old scrolls that Azula started screaming. 

The fire grew hotter, lightning was cackling around her now as she accused Zuko of not being himself. “My brother couldn’t do that. Zuzu couldn’t do that. You’re not him. You’re not HIM!” 

Aang had to intervene when the first bolt fired off again. He restrained her in a prison of earth, Zuko immediately by her side for at least a half hour before she calmed. It was hard to watch. Probably even harder to go through, and by the end of it Azula wasn’t better. She wasn’t sitting up back to her normal self, to the girl she’d been in Zuko’s childhood. Instead she sat on her own, away in the trees, meeting back up with them that next morning on Appa as they flew to the last spot on their marked map. 

A bird flew overhead as they landed in the abandoned air temple. Pin pricks were slicing through his skin as soon as his feet touched the ground. Ghosts of people past, of laughter he could hear clear as day even now when the wind turned a certain way. The place had fallen to ruins with no one to care for it. The leaves had grown and vines twisted so much around the upside down structure that it was more forest than temple. Not necessarily a bad thing. But it was different to what Aang knew, and that alone halted him from moving forward for a while. 

He jumped as a hand took his own. Zuko stared back at him from behind his mask, a silent question that finally shook the past from his mind. “I’ll be fine,” Aang nodded. They’d come here for a reason. He had to be okay.

“So,” made him jump again, Azula’s voice echoing around the empty caverns. “How is an abandoned air temple supposed to help us defeat the Firelord?” 

The urge to keep quiet was tempting. But Azula was here, and she’d figure it out whether Aang told her or not. Not that he got the chance. Before he could even speak Zuko was de-masking to explain, “We think there might be potential allies scattered across the world in work prisons. The Air temples have a strong connection to the spirit realm, and a spirit was the one who showed him the vision to begin with.”

Azula nodded. “So you think the spirits will show us where these people are again. Smart.”

“Really?” Aang muttered. He didn’t think he liked his idea being called smart by Azula. It made him feel a little icky. 

Yet, “It saves time breaking into every prison around if we know where to strike.” She appraised him, “Well done Avatar.”

“Thanks,” he forced out. 

As tempting as it was to approach the meditation halls right away, Aang wasn’t stupid. Bad spirits lived in shadows, in caves and fogs where they could hide away, and it being night, Aang didn’t want to test his luck that it might not be so dark in the spirit world right now. So they camped out, abandoning the rooms Aang knew were left waiting for them, that may never be tended to again, and rolled out their few provisions on the cliff face. 

Talk was a little more that night. More Zuko than Azula, and only after Aang had drifted slightly on Zuko’s knee. 

“I’m surprised you didn’t call it stupid. You never were one to believe in spirits,” Zuko said, voice low in case it echoed like it had when he stubbed his toe earlier.

“I wasn’t one to believe in a lot of things,” and for the first time since he’d known her she sounded something other than composed. 

There was a beat of silence. “I’m glad you’re here Azula.”

A short bark of laughter followed. “You’re not,” and even with his eyes closed Aang could see her shaking her head. 

“I am,” Zuko promised. “Mother, everyone, they’re like strangers.”

“And I’m not?”

He felt Zuko shaking his head. “Not to me. I still look at you and see my sister.”

Another short bark. “If that were true I wouldn’t be here and we both know it. You pity me,” she grit out.

“Maybe a little,” Zuko admitted. “But I would still want you here even if I didn’t pity you.”

“I’m untrustworthy. Your best bet is to leave me here.”

“But I won’t.”

“But you won’t,” Azula repeated, a short snort leaving her throat. 

“The most you’re going to do is try to kill me,” Zuko shrugged. “You’ve been doing that since we were kids. I can take anything you throw at me.”

“Because you’re  _ so _ good at bending?” she drawled.

“Because you’re still convinced I’m dead, and I know for a fact you think you’re not making it out of this trip alive.”

The silence grew heavy after that. Aang tried to quiet his breathing in case they thought he was purposefully listening in. He didn’t know what he expected. Another fight. A denial. A confession to her mental state. But when Aang opened his eye it turned out he’d just imagined the charge in the air. Azula had turned her back on them, her limbs slack, perhaps not in sleep but certainly more relaxed than they had been awake. 

There was movement under his head, Zuko’s leg stretching out as his hands kept Aang aloft enough he wouldn’t have been jostled asleep. He was set back down, the rest of Zuko following after a second until sleep finally came for all of them.

With two firebenders and no Sokka to complain that some people needed a lie in, Aang was awake with the dawn. It was actually rather surreal waking with his head pillowed on Zuko’s outer coat. More so because when he turned he saw both siblings firebending. Not fighting either. Instead their feet were moving in gentle rhythms across the ground. 

Azula was definitely a prodigy. Even watching her do a basic form, and they had to be basic for Zuko to know them too, for them both to know and remember how to move together, she was better. Fluid. She moved how every teacher would want their student to move. Confident where Zuko was still shuffling on steps. 

That wasn’t to say that Zuko was bad. Aang knew he wasn’t. He’d seen Zuko fight, he knew for a fact Zuko could firebend like any other bender. But he didn’t have confidence in himself, and it didn’t look like he had in happier days either as Azula didn’t see anything wrong with her brother stumbling after her. In fact, she seemed almost pleased to see him fumble a move. Like it made things more real.

Maybe that was why Zuko was doing this. 

Aang didn’t know. Nor did he have time to dwell on it today. With a great groan he scarfed down breakfast and told the other two to yell if they were dying. 

The meditation hall was at the heart of the temple. In its heyday, it would pulse beneath Aang’s feet like a beating heart. A collective conscience all reaching out to the spirit realm. No matter the time of day or night there would always be someone there, someone hidden inside trying to bridge the gap. Now? There was no pulse beneath his feet. No breathing in his ear. When he sat, the walls seemed to close in around him, the shadows moving, taunting him, waiting for him to close his eyes-

He ran for it “I’ve changed my mind,” he yelled, grabbing Zuko’s arm when he was near and dragging him into the inner temple too. “Don’t call me a coward,” Aang warned. He wasn’t hearing it. He could still feel eyes on his back.

“I’d never call you a coward,” Zuko muttered, a slight roll in his eyes as he forced Aang to slow down so the pair of them could walk properly to the meditation hall.

“I will,” came behind them. “What’s going on? Did you have your  _ premonition _ already?” 

“One, they’re not premonitions because they’re happening right now,” was his voice high pitched? It sounded high pitched. He forced it lower, “And two it’s a little dark in there, and I think I might need some light to, you know, see the bridge to the spirit realm so, yeah.”

There was a scoff behind him, yet Azula didn’t hesitate to offer a ball of fire on Aang’s other side when they entered the meditation hall. 

He went back to the centre, hesitating long enough that Zuko got the message and walked the perimeter of the hall so Aang could see there was nothing hiding there. He was sure he lost more than a few cool points in Azula’s eyes as Zuko came back. A fact he would care about later as he slowly sank to the floor. 

He breathed out shakily. He could do this. He was the Avatar. So what if he couldn’t bend in the spirit realm. He let out another shaky breath.

“Is he always like this?” came from his right.

“Could you just not have an opinion for a second?” Zuko countered. Then, lower, “I’ll fight off anything that tries to eat you. Promise.”

Aang nodded. One more shaky breath and he forced himself to empty his mind. 

It took a good few hours, and Aang telling them both to shut up please, for him to finally give up. Three days they waited there, and for three days nothing happened. Try as Aang might he couldn’t slip into the spirit realm. What’s worse, now Azula knew why he was so skittish about going there in the first place.

They left the air temple after deciding enough time had been wasted on this idea. Loathe as they were to admit it, maybe they would just have to break into every single prison they could until they found the benders. Which sucked. Already they’d been gone for almost a month, maybe more, and had nothing but Azula to show for it. They couldn’t just bring Azula back either. Sure, Ty Lee would probably be happy, but Katara? Sokka? Suki would kill him for running off in the middle of a peace talk to grab Zuko’s sister. 

He rubbed his eyes, more so because the prospect of breaking into prisons when there were only three of them, not to mention Lu Ten wouldn’t know about it and would probably be pissed at them-

That’s it. “Lu Ten!” 

Twin scowls came his way. “What?” Azula asked.

“Lu Ten. He knows the prisons. He caught me in one once. He must know which ones he’s not allowed to visit. Or which ones have blueprints or something that doesn’t make sense.”

“Aang…” Zuko sighed.

“No, I know, you don’t want to go back just yet. But, maybe we need to.” It wouldn’t hurt to check in on the others as well. “We banked on the spirits helping us, but the spirits are being quiet so maybe we need to look elsewhere. I know it’s two steps backwards, but maybe it’s just what we need to do.” he could see Zuko wasn’t convinced. Aang knew Zuko’s mother would still be in Omashu. She wouldn’t leave now she knew her son was out there, alive, and might come back to have a civil conversation with her, and granted maybe Aang wanted to see a little confrontation between the two, so no wonder he didn’t want to go back just yet. Azula, well, she looked just as horrified as Zuko at the idea. 

More so because, “If uncle finds out I’m with you I’ll be back on Ember Island before the month is out. No chance we’re going to Ba Sing Se.”

“Actually he’s in Omashu,” and maybe they didn’t need to meet with all of Zuko’s family. “Do you think we could send a letter? Or, I don’t know, break into Lu Ten’s rooms or something. Ty Lee probably knows where he stays when he’s in Omashu.” He wished he’d hung around a little more to see where Lu Ten slipped off to.

“Ty Lee?” There was an odd glint in Azula’s eyes. “She’s with you?”

“Er…” Right. Ty Lee had been Azula’s friend. He probably could have told her that in a different way but-

“Mai too,” Zuko chimed. “It’ll be nice having the whole group back together.

“Shut up Zuzu,” she even flung a shoe at him. It was probably the most normal interaction he’d ever seen them have. That, and the pair of them teaming up against Aang to try and persuade him to do anything but take them back to Omashu. 

Or, well, Zuko did. Azula’s protests sort of died down a little once she learned her friends had turned their back on the fire nation. Or, she did for a little while. Once the shock, or maybe Azula’s mind had spiraled down into whatever she persuaded herself was going on, Aang found himself waking to cold amber eyes staring down at him. 

He only jumped a little. “You aren’t dragging us to Ba Sing Se-”

“Omashu-” he tried to interject, only to be cut off by the fire in Azula’s eyes growing that little bit more unstable.

“You’re the Avatar,” she continued, like Aang hadn’t even spoken at all. “You will find another way to get us to the prisons we need.”

“But…” maybe he should wait a while before speaking again Aang decided as Azula moved off. Yeah. Especially when he watched her light the fire, the flames burning much higher than they needed to be before settling into a steady flame. 

**Author's Note:**

> Have I written all of it? No. Have I written 11 pages, yes. So, if updates are slow, I apologise now.


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